Medicated pencil.



C. E. SWETT.

'MEDICATED PENCIL.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 10. i915.

1,280,580, v Patented Oct. 1, 1918.

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CHARLES E. SWETT, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO ARTHUR' D. LITTLE, INCORPORATED, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS, A CORPORATION OF MASSACHUSETTS.

MEDICATED PENCIL.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Soul, 1918.

Application filed July 10,1915. Serial No. 39,050.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLEsE. SWETT, a citizen of the United States, residin at Boston, in the county of Suffolk and tate of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Medicated Pencils, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to appliances used by physicians for the topical application of medicaments, and variously designated as medicated pencils, styptic pencils, bougies, etc. The object of the present invention is to provide a medicated pencil carrying active iodin.

Iodin, as is well known, is practically "insoluble in water, and is active as a medicinal agent only when dissolved in alcohol, an aqueous solution of potassium iodid, or other appropriate solvent. Iodin has heretofore been available as a medicament only in the form of such solutions, which present difliculties and inconveniences in storing, carryin and a l in The inc d ani nces are avoided by the present invention, according to which iodin is applied to a suitable support in conjunction with a salt, usually potassium iodid, which is capable in aqueous solution of dissolving iodin, and is present in sufficient proportion to insure solution either of all of the iodin present Or of a suflicient portion thereof to serve as an active med1cal agent. I

have found that intimate mixtures of iodinv and potassium iodid when made into a still paste with water, possess a considerable cementing power, so that such a aste may be applied to the end of a suite. le stick or holder, in much the same manner as a head is applied to a match, and dries out to a cement-like mass which is suiii ciently hard to endure the ordmary conditions of storplace potassium iodid for the purposes of th1s invention.

In some cases it is desirable to combine with the components above mentioned a small proportion of a suitable water-soluble binder, such as gum arabic. In certain cases, also, it has been found advisable to incorporate with the iodin-iodid mixture, with or without the binder, a small proportion of an iodate, for the purpose of reacting with any hydriodic acid, which may tend to form in small quantities under adverse conditions of storage, this reaction yielding free iodin and thereby insuring the effectiveness of the composition.

Hydriodic acid, being a strong mineral acid, may act as an irritant to sensitive surfaces. Its elimination through the action of the iodate may perhaps proceed according to the following equations Whatever the mechanism ofthe reaction or reactions involved, it is known that hydriodic acid and potassium iodate cannot c0- exist, and the result of the use of the iodate as herein described is to determine the regeneration of iodin from any hydriodic acid which may be formed. 1

The support maybe of any desired material, including wood, which may be araffined or otherwise treated to prevent a sorp tion of the solution, glass rods or tubes, rods or stri s of rubber, celluloid, or in general any su stance capable of serving as a support and not corroded by the mixture.

A suitable composition may comprise 4c parts by weight of iodin and 55 parts of potassium iodid, to which 5 parts of gum arahic may be added if desired. This mixture is ground to a paste with a small amount of water, or of alcohol, or of other liquid capable of dissolving either the iodin or the iodid. This paste is applied to the end of the support as a knob or peliicle, and dried on. The resulting stick is a most convenient means for the local application of iodin either to terior or mucous surfaces. in use the .ces to which iodin to be applied a. if necessary, coated oi Mo stlci" is applied to the desired area. One of the admntages of such an appliance, in addition to convenience and portability, is that the application may be strictly limited to the desired point or area. Also, on account of the fact that the solution of the iodin is dependent upon the solution of the i0did,the amount of iodin applied may be accurately controlled by a longer or shorter application of the pencil.

The relative proportion between the iodin and the iodid is not important from. the viewpoint of medicinal efliciency, but it is preferred to have the iodin in less proportion than the iodid. This is primarily because the amount of iodin which it is possible to dissolve is limited by the amount of iodid present; and also because these proportions yield a satisfactorily plastic or moldable 'composition. Such a composition I designate as cementitious.

1. A medicated pencil comprising a support having applied thereto a solid cementitassium iodid.

4. A medicated pencil comprising a support having applied thereto a composition containing iodin, an iodin solvent, and an iodate.

5. A medicated pencil comprising a support having applied thereto a composition containing iodin, a soluble iodid, and an iodate.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in presence of two Witnesses.

CHARLES E. SWETT. WVitnesses CARL F. VVoons, HARRY S. Mom. 

